


The First

by FloreatCastellum



Series: Slice of Life One-Shots [19]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 18:34:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19090750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloreatCastellum/pseuds/FloreatCastellum
Summary: Ginny is surprised to find that she's been put on leave from the Harpies.





	The First

She’d have liked to have said she’d realised she was a few days late, but she’d never been regular (in her sappy books they always used the term “like clockwork” - what nonsense, “like an unexpected and unwelcome guest” would be more fitting). She’d have even liked to have said she realised when she just started throwing up, only in the mornings, you see, where she would say ‘oh I feel fine now, must have been the chicken!’ and then somehow not connect the dots (again, these dumb books always expected you to be surprised the main character had a baby instead of salmonella). She’d have even settled for telling people the first sign was when her boobs had started to ache, or get bigger, or something like that. But aside from a few vivid dreams and a vague thought that she kept tasting something metallic in her mouth, she hadn’t had any symptoms at all.

One blustery autumn day, however, Gwenog stopped her in the changing room. ‘Don’t get into your kit,’ she said. ‘Can I speak to you in my office?’

Ginny froze, already just standing in her bra and jeans. ‘Can I put my top back on?’ she asked.

‘Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.’

She did so, and then, giving a shrug to her teammate Eliza, followed Gwenog into the back office. She felt rather nervous - was she getting booted off the team? She thought she’d been playing well lately. A transfer, maybe? But no, surely that was a decision she would be involved in?

Gwenog sat her down, and then sat in the chair opposite, looking distinctly awkward. ‘You know, as part of the pre-season preparations, we are obligated by the Ministry to perform blood magic tests?’

‘Yes,’ said Ginny flummoxed. ‘Was there a problem?’

‘Well,’ said Gwenog, slowly, looking incredibly awkward. ‘Not a problem, as such, but something I’m sorry you didn’t feel you could talk to me about.’

Ginny stared at her. The tests had only been last week. ‘I don’t take any dodgy performance enhancing potions,’ she said indignantly. ‘Or any other illicit-’

‘It’s nothing like that,’ said Gwenog quickly. ‘Ginny, don’t you know?’

‘Know what?’

Gwenog’s eyes widened. She looked as though she was seriously out of her depth. ‘Ginny, it’s a good job we use code names… But I’ve double checked, and it’s definitely you… You’re pregnant.’

‘What?’ Ginny laughed. ‘Gwenog, don’t be silly-’

Gwenog reached into her draw, and pulled out a file. ‘Here,’ she said. ‘I even had them run it again.’

Ginny pulled the file towards her. Yes, even with the code name of Amber, it was definitely here. The blood results even showed the brief bout of dragon pox she’d had when she was six. And, right there - tested positive for pregnancy.

She read it through several times, blinking at it. ‘But… I always drink the moon potion after… Oh.’ Her her eyebrows raised and her eyes widened in realisation.

Gwenog’s mouth twitched. ‘So what was it? A few glasses of red?’

Ginny stared at her. How cliche. ‘Yeah.’

Gwenog smiled. ‘Well, congratulations, you’re on maternity leave.’

‘Already?’ exclaimed Ginny.

‘It’s a violent game, and as such we have strict regulations,’ said Gwenog firmly. ‘Don’t worry, you’ll always have a place here when you come back, if you want to of course. But for now,’ she added, her voice gentle and pleased, ‘I think you should go and break the news to your lovely husband, don’t you?’ She suddenly seemed to reconsider. ‘Assuming you want it, of course?’

Ginny nodded. ‘Yeah, I do… I’m just… I think I wanted it in a year or two.’

Gwenog laughed. ‘The first always comes a year or two early.’

And so, head spinning, Ginny headed home. The house was quiet and still. Harry wouldn’t be back from work until this evening, and he had no reason to think of coming home early.

What should she do with herself? She looked down at her stomach. It was perfectly flat. ‘You didn’t even give me a hint,’ she accused it.

She wandered the house, lazily cleaning. She put a slow roast in. She listened to the wireless. She realised how strange it was that she was nervous to tell her mum and dad, even though she was an adult and she had been married for a year. She wondered when she was supposed to tell people - she had no idea how far along she was. She supposed she would have to book an appointment at St Mungos. She sent a letter.

She heard the door click and creak open just as she was pulling the roast out.

‘Hello!’ she heard him call, and she yelled hello back.

He came in, looking with surprise at the dinner. ‘Blimey,’ he said. ‘I assumed we were going to have that leftover pie. Looks lovely.’

She smiled at him, and with a wave of her wand, dished up. He sat at the table, immediately slathering on a heap of mint sauce, gabbing away about his latest case and how annoying Dawlish was being - He summoned a bottle of wine, and poured out a glass.

‘No thanks,’ said Ginny.

‘It’s a Thursday,’ he said. ‘It’s the new Friday.’

She laughed, and he shrugged and put the bottle down. ‘How was practice?’ he asked casually, cutting into a parsnip.

‘Er… Good. I got some news.’

‘Yeah?’

He looked at her curiously, his eyes bright behind his glasses. She smiled. ‘Yes. I’ve been placed on leave.’

His face fell into deep concern, and he put his cutlery down. ‘Leave?’

She smiled wider. She couldn’t help it. She’d wanted to tease it out a bit, really milk it, but the excitement was too much. ‘Yes. Maternity leave. My blood test results came back. I’m pregnant.’

His lips parted, he blinked at her. His hand seized hers. ‘Pregnant?’

‘Yes.’

‘With a baby?’

‘No, a hippogriff.’

‘Ginny-’ He rose from his chair and darted round to kneel at her side, his eyes looking up at her with urgency. ‘If this is a joke, it’s not fair-’

‘It’s not a joke. I’m pregnant. I have an appointment at St Mungos on Monday.’

His eyes shone, and his mouth seemed to open and close as he let out little bursts of shocked laughter. She beamed at him, and just to really enjoy the moment, she leaned forward, close to his face, and said, ‘we’re going to be parents. You’re going to be a father.’

He rose, and picked her up too, spinning her round as he hugged her and she shrieked her laughter. ‘I love you,’ he said. ‘I love you, I love you.’


End file.
